Padres claim OF Alex Castellanos off waivers from Texas Rangers

Pitcher Cory Luebke placed on 60-Day D.L.

PEORIA, AZ - The San Diego Padres today announced that they have claimed outfielder Alex Castellanos off waivers from the Texas Rangers. To make room on the Padres' 40-man roster, the club placed left-handed pitcher Cory Luebke on the 60-day disabled list after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on February 18. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcement.

Castellanos (pronounced: kah-stay-AH-nohs), 27, has appeared in 24 Major League games over the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .171 (7-for-41) with a double, triple and two home runs. The 6-foot, 200-pound right-handed hitter and thrower batted .257 (99-for-385) with 19 home runs, 61 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 105 games with Triple-A Albuquerque in 2013. Originally an infielder, Castellanos converted to the outfield in 2010, but has also played both second and third base in the minors the past two seasons. He had batted .333 (3-for-9) with a double this spring before being designated for assignment by the Rangers on March 6. Born in Miami, Fla., Castellanos was the St. Louis Cardinals' 10th-round selection in the 2008 Draft.